Bottom dumping material handling box



y 1943' EL'W. RIEMENSCHNEIDER ETAL ,445,038

ao'rmou nuurme MATERIAL HANDLING Box Filed July 16, 1946 Sheets-Sheet 1 g 5 INVENTORS EdmwidW-Kimansaheider mibd Juiy 10, 1946 s sheets-sheet 2 J mmvmxs 25 l EdmundWRiemensclmeiJer BY LinJsey (Shea 9 A TTORNEY5 y 3, 948. siw. RIEMENSCHNEIDER EIAL 2,445,038

BOTTOM DUIPING MATERIAL HANDLING BOX Filed July 10, 1946 3 Shasta-Sheet 5 INVHVTORS Enmllm amensahneider Lindsey msbea 7 ATTOfilYS Patented July i3, 194% BOTTOM comma MATERIAL HANDLING nox Edmund W. Riemenschnelder and Lindsey West Shea, Canton, Ohio, assignors to The Union Metal Manufacturing Company, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 10, 1946, Serial No. 682,498

8 Claims.

The invention relates generally to boxes or containers for transporting small parts or loose materials and for dumping the parts or materials at desired locations. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel bottom dumping box carried on a material handling platform which is adapted to be lifted and transported by means of a power platform lift or fork lift truck.

Power lift trucks are widely used for transporting materials in and around factories and industrial plants, including transporting materials from factory to warehouse and from factory or warehouse to shipping vehicles. The material supporting platforms used with power lift trucks are usually inverted U-shaped platforms or skids," or double decked platforms known as pallets, both of which have legs spacing the platforms above the fioor to allow the fork or lifting element of the truck to be inserted under the platform.

In the case of handling small parts or loose ma.-

terials, a box, with or witthout a bottom wall, is

supported on the platform for retaining the loose materials and it becomes desirable, if not necessary, to provide for unloading the material from the box while it is supported on the platform in raised or lifted position.

Certain prior box constructions for use with lift trucks have included a special roll-over type used with a fork lift, in which the forks are held in horizontal tubular openings on the underside of the box, and special mechanism is provided for rotating the box or rolling it over laterally in lifted positions about an axis parallel with the forks. This roll-over type of box requires expensive and heavy mechanism to be added to the usual fork lifting mechanism of the truck, and requires the forks to be located farther out from the mast to make room for the said mechanism. Consequently, the load supported by the forks is carried farther from the truck, requiring much extra weight on the truck for counter balancing the load.

Moreover, with this type of box and special fork lift truck a comparatively great amount of space is required in the dumping operation, making it extremely difficult to dump material in a small or confined space. Another disadvantage of the roll-over type is that the material dumps suddenly, making it diflicult to control the location to which the contents are dumped.

Certain other prior constructions include a bottom dumping or drop bottom box in which the bottom is hinged at the rear edge of the box and is allowed to swing downwardlyabout the hinge while the box is held in horizontal raised position by the lift truck. Such constructions necessarily provide for a limited opening movement of the drop bottom, and for dumping certain classes of material such as elongated scrap material; this amount of opening and the amount of inclination of the bottom is not sufficient.

Moreoven'if the drop bottom is allowed to swing which involves a likelihood of damage to the lift:v

ing mechanism..

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved dump box for lift trucks which will overcome all of the foregoing disadvantages of priorconstructions. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved bottom dumping box which is adapted for use with a standard fork lift truck without requiring expensive additional or special mechanism.

Another object is to provide an improved bottom dumping box construction in which the bottom wall is lowered and the box is simultaneously raised to provide a maximum opening for discharging the contents of the box.

39 A further object is to provide an improved dumping box which is adapted to be dumped by the lowering of the lift element supporting the box, in such manner as to maintain the element entirely under the bottom at all times.

Another object is to provide an improved bottom dumping box adapted to be used with a lift truck, in which the box is carried closely adjacent to the truck and which requires a minimum amount of room for the dumping operation.

0 A further object is to provide an improved bottom dumping box adapted to be dumped from a lifted position on a lift truck in a minimum amount of space and with a maximum amount of control as to the location of of the dumped contents of the box.

A further object is to provide a novel box adapted to be hinged to a material carrying platform in such manner that in closed position the platform serves as the bottom wall of the box and in open positionthe platform serves as a chute for unloading material from the box.

A still further object is to provide an improved bottom dumping box for lift trucks in which the bottom is dumped by lowering the lifting element without resulting in jamming the box against the mast or any of the lift mechanism carried thereby.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved bottom dumping box for lift trucks which is simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, which is adapted for use with any standardttype of lift truck, and which is quickly and easily unloaded under varying conditions .of working space and into various dumping receptacles.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts. constructions, arrangements, combinations and sub-combinations comprising the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

In general terms the novel bottom dumping box comprising the present invention may be stated as including a material supporting platform having legs for elevating its top surface above the floor for receiving the lifting element of a power truck thereunder, an abutment plate across the front of the platform for abutting the end of the lifting element, a four-sided box supported on said platform and hinged to the rear edge thereof with means for hanging the rear edge of the box top on the mast f the lift truck, so that when the box top is hung from the mast and the lifting element is lowered With its outer end engaging the abutment plate, the hinged edges of the box and platform will move forwardly away from .the mast to lower platform and simultaneously raise the front of the box.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof. in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the improved box construction embodied in an inverted U-shaped skid platform having a chute on the top thereof;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the box in dumping position with the rear top edge of the box supported by hangers on the top of .the mast of a standard lift truck, and the skid platform and chute which form the bottom of the box in abutment with the ends of the lifting element of thetruck;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the improved box supported in raised position on a lift truck, the lifting element of the truck being lowered to initiate the dumping operation; and

Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view in which the lifting element of the truck has been lowered to substantially completely open the box to its full dumping position.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

While theinvention is shown and described herein as applied to a skid platform and used with a standard fork lift truck of well-known make, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other types of material handling platforms including pallets, and may be used with any standard fork lift or high-lift platform power truck having a mast and a lifting element movable vertically thereon.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the improved bottom dumping box construction preferably includes a skid platform indicated generally at IU of inverted channel or U-sha.pe. The platform "I may be constructed of sheet metal, having the legs H, spacing an integral top wall l2 above the floor for allowing the fork or lifting element of a power truck to be inserted under the top wall the front edge of the and between the legs. As shown, the skid platform In may have transverse corrugations If extending across the top wall l2 and continuing vertically through the legs II, for imparting the necessary strength to the sheet metal platform.

The box for retaining small parts or loose materials on top of the skid platform II is indicated generally at I4, and is preferably a foursided open-ended box which stands on end on the top wall of the platform, or in this case on a flat plate II which rests directly on the top wall ll of the platform. Thus, the platform in in effect forms the bottom wall of the open-ended box H. The box ll preferably includes two side walls I 6,a front end wall I! and a rear end wall 18, the four side walls having a series of horizontal corrugations l9 running continuously around the box for strengthening the same and enabling the use of comparatively light weight sheet metal. Suitable lugs or brackets may be provided on the top edge of the box for facilitating tiering with like boxes, if desired, or tiering angles can be provided inside the legs I i of the platform for resting on the top flange of the box beneath.

The flat plate I5 which rests on the top wall 12 of'the skid platform is preferably the horizontal portion or web of a channel-shaped chute having side walls 20 extending upwardly around the sides l8 of the box. 'As shown, the side walls 20 of the chute extend upwardly about half the height of the box and terminate in outturned flanges 2|, but it will be understood that the height of the chute walls may be varied as desired without departing from the scope of the invention, and may even be extended to the top of the box for being engaged by a crane hook to permit handling of the box by a crane if desired.

As shown, the side walls 20 of the chute are connected to the side walls H of the skid platform by means of a plurality of vertical braces 22, which may be channel-shaped in cross section. and welded to the chute walls 20 as indicated at 23, and to the'skid platform legs II as indicated at 24. While two of these braces are shown on each side of the platform and box, one adjacent each end, it is obvious that a greater number of spaced braces may be used along each side. Preferably the bottom wall 15 of the chute is welded to the top wall l2 of the skid platform at various places, so that the chute and skid platform act as a unit, with the bottom wall I5 of the chute providing a smooth surface for dumping material from the platform and the side walls 20 of the chute controlling the direction ofthe material being dumped.

The front end of the skid platform III is provided with an abutment member 25' extending downwardly from the top wall i2 of the platform,

and as shown the abutment member 25 preferably comprises a transverse angle extending between the legs II with the horizontal leg 25a of the angle welded to the underside of the top wall l2 at the front marginal portion thereof. The

' depending leg 25 of the abutment member is 10- cated so as to be at or immediately adjacent to the front end of the fork or lifting element of a power lift truck, when the element is fully inserted under the skid platform for lifting the same.

At the rear end of the skid platform l0, hinge means is provided for hingedly connecting the rear edge of the platform with the bottom rear portion of the box It. The hinge means preferably includes horizontally spaced angular hinge plates having vertical legs 26 normally abutting vment member 25 on the the flanged bottom edge Ila of the box, and horizontal legs 21 welded to the underside of the top wall l2 of the skid platform at its rear marginal edge portion, said vertical legs 23 having hinge pin eyes or sleeves 23 at their upper portions for slidably receiving hinge pin or rod 23. At the ends of and between the plates 23, the hinge pin 23 is slidably received in sleeves or tubes 33 which are suitably connected as by welding to the rear wall I of the box. As shown the tubes 33 are preferably welded to a filler turn welded to the rear wall ll of the box between a pair of the corrugations l3.

The hanger means for hanging or supporting the top rear edge of the box M on the mast of a lift truck when the box is in elevated position on the mast, preferably includes one or more loops pivotally mounted at the top rear edge of the box. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, two spaced loops 32 are shown secured on a rod 33 which runs transversely of the box at the exterior of its top rear edge, and the rod 33 is axially rotatably mounted on thebox by means of spaced tubes 34 welded to the flanged top edge 35 and to the top corrugation iii of the box. The rod 33 is rotatable in the tubes 34, and the loops 32 are secured to the rod so that they will pivot in unison with respect to the box.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the novel box construction is shown supported in raised position by the fork 31 of a standard fork lift truck. which is the lifting element of a standard fork lift truck indicated generally at 33, the lifting fork 31 being extended forward from a carriage 39 which is vertically movable on the mast 40 of the truck. As shown, the mast is provided at opposite sides with projections or lugs ll over which the loops 32 of the novel box are adapted to be hooked when the box is raised to a position near the top of the mast, for hanging or supporting the box from the mast. Obviously, with different standard types of power lift trucks the supporting lugs I may be varied in construction or location, and the loops 32 varied accordingly, without departing from the scope of the invention, as long as the top rear edge of the novel box I4 is pivotally supported on the mast when the box is in elevated position.

As shown in Fig. 4, the box is hung on the lugs ll of the mast, and the lifting element 31 has been lowered somewhat below its uppermost position where it supports the lifting platform in a horizontal position. .In Figs. 3 and the lifting element 31 has been lowered sufliciently to tilt the skid platform ill with its ll to substantially fully open position, with the end of the lifting element 31 engaging the abutskid platform and the hinge pin 29 being swung upwardly and forwardly away from the mast 40, thereby tilting the front end ll of the box ll upwardly so that the bottom edge of the box I is substantially at right angles to the bottom wall l5 of the chute.

In the operation of the novel dumping box construction with the box ll resting on the skid platform ill in horizontal position, the box may be loaded or filled with small parts or loose materials including turnings or other scrap metal. The truck 38 is then brought up to position at the rear end of the box, and fork 31 enteredunder the skid platform to engage the underside of its top wall for lifting the same. When the fork is in the lifting position indicated in dot-dash-lines in Fig. 1, the outer end of the fork is closely adiaplate 3| which is in chute and the box cent to the depending flange of the abutment member 2!. d

If desired, the length of the fork 31 may be substantially equal to the length of the platform l3, in which case the end of the fork will be in substantial engagement with the abutment plate 23 when the platform I3 is in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, and the platform will begin to tilt and the box to open immediately when the fork starts to lower.

The box may be transported from place to place while in loaded position in a usual manner, and when it is desired to dump the load from the box, the truck operator elevates the loaded box to substantially uppermost position on the mast l0 and then hooks the loops 32 over the lugs H on the mast, and the box is then ready to be dumped. The truck 38 is manipulated to head the box toward the desired dumping location, and the mechanism is operated to lower the forks.

As the fork moves downwardly, the end thereof engages the abutment member 25 and prevents the front edge of the platform from sliding rearwardly, so that the support provided by the loops 32 on the mast causes the rear edge of the platform with the hinge plate 26 to swing forwardly and upwardly about the end of the fork as a center. This movement of the hinge raises or opens the front edge of the box. As the front edges of the box and platform move apart or open similarly to a clam shell, as indicated by the initial opening position in Fig. 4 and the final open position in Fig. 5, the contents of the box are free to slide or dump forwardly from the flat bottom wall l5 of the chute, and as the material dumps the side walls 20 of the chute guide or direct the material to the desired dumping location.

After the box contents are dumped, the fork is raised to completely close the box, whereupon the operator unhooks the loops 32 from the lugs 4| and the box can then be lowered. or transported to another locationand then lowered.

The novel and improved box construction provides a simple and inexpensive bottom dumping box adapted for use with any standard power lift truck without requiringexpensive special or additional mechanism, and which opens to full dumping position without requiring excessive working space, while covering the lifting element at all times.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, th construction, the operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the with a power lift art, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Bottom dumping box construction for use truck having a mast and a lifting element movable thereo {including a material carrying platform forming the bottom wall of the box and adapted for resting on said lifting mung {Element and preventing movement of said"! platform towardlsaid mast,an open-ended box standing'on'md on said platform, hinge means connecting the rear side of the box to the rear" edge of the platform, and hanger means at the top of said rear side for hanging the box in elevated position on said mast, whereby lowering the lifting element will move th hinge means away from the mast to lower the front edge of the platform and simultaneously raise the front of the box.

with a powerlift truck having a mast and a lifting element movable thereon, including a material carrying platform forming the bottom wall of the box and adapted for restin on said liftin element, an abutment member on the front of said platform for abutting the outer end of said lifting element and preventing movement of said platform toward said mast, an open-ended box standing on end on said platform, upwardly projecting chute walls on opposite sides of said platform overlapping said box, hinge means connecting the rear side of the box to the rear edge of the platform, and hanger means at the top of said rear side for hanging the box in elevated position on said mast, whereby lowering the liftin ele ment will move the hinge means away from the mast to lower the front edge of the platform and simultaneously raise the front of the box.

3. Bottom dumping box construction for use with a power lift truck having a mast and a lifting element movable vertically thereon, including a material carrying platform forming the bottom wall of the box and adapted for being raised by said lifting element, an open-ended box supported on end on the platform, means hing-' ing the rear edges of platform and box together, means for supporting the top rear edge of said box in raised position on said mast, and means on said platform for abutting the front end of said lifting element to prevent movement of said platform toward said mast as the element is lowered with the box hung on the mast.

4. Bottom dumping box construction for use with a power lift truck having a mast and a lifting element movable vertically thereon, including a material carrying platform forming the bottom wall of the box and adapted for being raised by said liftin element, an open-ended box supported on end on the platform, chute walls on opposite sides of the platform and extending ing a material carrying platform having legs supporting its top wall above the floor for receiving said lifting element thereunder, an abutment plate secured to the front of said top wall adjacent to the end of said lifting element, a four-sided box carried on said platform top wall, a hinge connection between the box and platform at the end opposite to the abutment plate,

2. Bottom dumping box construction for use a hanger'on the box-above said hinge connection 1 for-hanging the 'box in elevated position on'the mast, whereby as said lifting element is lowered outer end will engage .s'aid abutment plate 5 and tilt the rear edge of said platform upwardly thereby tilting the front of the box upwardly about the hanger. v

6. Bottom dumping'box constructionfor use ing element movable vertically thereon,inc1uding a material carrying platform having legs supporting its top wall above, the floor for re ceiving said lifting element thereunder, an abutment plate secured to the front of said top wall adjacent to the end of said lifting element, a four-sided box carried on said platform top wall, chute walls on opposite sides of the platform and extending upwardly outside of said box, a hinge connection between the box and platform at the end opposite to the abutment plate, a hanger on the box above said hinge connection for hanging the box in elevated position on the mast, whereby as said lifting element is lowered its outer end will engage said abutment plate and tilt the rear edge of said platform upwardly thereby tilting the front of the box upwardly about the hanger.

7. Bottom dumping box construction for use with a power lift truck having a mast and-a lifting element movable vertically thereon, including a material carrying platform open at least at one end for receiving the lifting element thereunder, a U-shaped chute secured on top ofsaid platform with its side walls parallel to said lifting element, an open-ended box supported on end on the platform, means hinglng the rear edges of said platform and box together,

means for supporting the top rear edge of the box in raised position on said mast, and an abutment member on said platform for engaging the outer end of said lifting element to prevent movement of said platform toward said mast as the element is lowered with the box supported in raised position on the mast.

' 8. Bottom dumping box construction for use with a power lift truck having a mast and a lifting element movable vertically thereon, including a material carrying platform open at least at one end for receiving the lifting element thereunder, a U-shaped chute secured on top of said platform with its side walls parallel to said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,378,574 Weston May 17, 1921 1,768,149 Remde June 24, 1930 2,289,024 Lambert July 7, 1942 2,325,568 Eaton. July 27, 1943 

